Whale tangled in shark nets freed off Queensland's Gold Coast

Australian marine rescuers worked to free a whale tangled in shark nets close to Queensland’s Gold Coast on Wednesday, as local surfers tried to cut it out of the netting.

The young humpback got stuck in the 200-metre long net on Tuesday, sparking a frantic mission that involved staff from both SeaWorld and the Queensland Department of Fisheries.

After initially struggling to free the whale as members of its pod stayed close by, a tracker was placed on the mammal to ensure the rescue attempt could be successfully continued the following day.